Topic: Success Magic

Gordon White introduces the concept of "optionality" as a defense against the "teleological fallacy"—the mistaken belief that one knows the best way to achieve a future goal. Drawing on Nassim Taleb's work, White argues that magicians should aim for "anti-fragile" states where they gain from unanticipated events. Instead of targeting a single end goal, practitioners should use magic to slightly shift probabilities at each step of a process.

Lon Milo Duquette reflects on the "success" of his magical career, stating that the primary result of his rituals has been his own alchemical transformation. He argues that while phenomena may occur, the true purpose of Enochian or Solomonic magic is the mutation of the magician into a more realized version of themselves. He expresses contentment with his personal growth as the ultimate validation of his practice.

The success of elite factions like the Knights Templar is linked to their alleged worship of entities like Baphomet in exchange for power. Lorgan notes that offers from entities often occur in the dream realm rather than a physical boardroom, making them no less binding. These entities trade material wealth and "shiny objects" in the holographic reality for a piece of the individual's real spiritual power.